title: CERC as a theoretical framework for research and practice.
abstract: Health communicators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed an integrated model titled Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) as a tool to educate and equip public health professionals for the expanding communication responsibilities of public health in emergency situations. This essay focuses on CERC as a general theoretical framework for explaining how health communication functions within the contexts of risk and crisis. Specifically, the authors provide an overview of CERC and examine the relationship of risk communication to crisis communication, the role of communication in emergency response, and the theoretical underpinnings of CERC. The article offers an initial set of propositions based on the CERC framework and concludes with a discussion of future directions.
authors.affiliation: Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA. Shari.Veil@ou.edu
authors.forename: Shari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veil
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Timothy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sellnow
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Seeger
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014481:United States